The White Rider
by J.L. Tinsley
Summary: Kalaya's perfect life is turned into a nightmare when she is suddenly "taken", until one man came along and changed everything...THE WHITE RIDER! Please oh please read and review! No flames please, they will be deleted and ignored.
1. The Innocents

The White Rider  
  
Claimer/Disclaimer-OK, I can't really claim all of this because...well... its not mine! This story is a short fantasy retelling of Revelations 19:11-21, thus it is not mine, it belongs to God Almighty. However, many of the characters featured here are the products of my own imagination, they are mine. And the title is NOT from Lord of the Rings, read the Scripture, it's in there. Oh, just a warning- a later chapter may be considered objectionable to Wiccans. Sorry, but this is my own belief. And I apologize if you find any of this rude or offensive, I don't mean it to be, it is probably just a misunderstanding in the way I interpret the Scriptures. Please inform me of any problems in a review, but please NO FLAMES! Constructive criticism is fine, but flames do not help. Also, please notice this is a FANTASY retelling, not 100% accurate. Just a fun story idea I had while reading the verses. Well anyway, on to the story!   
  
A/N-PS: The part pertaining to the Scripture will not start till later. These next few chapters are just setting up the history.   
  
The White Rider  
  
Prologue:  
  
The Innocents  
  
Kalaya had always loved her home. It was heaven, perfect, loving. Everyone she knew was so happy, no cares, no worries, no sadness, and no sin, no sin. It was perfect.  
  
Oftentimes she would wonder how she came to be in such a place, The Land of Innocents. Then she would remind herself of the stories all the Older Ones had told her. Everyday, new innocents came, and Old innocents left. One day, she had arrived, as a newchild, with hundreds of others. Though she could not remember that day, it was always assured that that was the way things were. She could see it happening every day, newchilds come, and Older Ones go. She was now seven years old, and soon she would be considered one of the Older Ones. But Kalaya was terrified. Most of the Older Ones she knew were only eight or nine when they were... taken. She didn't know how to describe it...one minute they were there, perfectly normal, then they would do something, and they would...change...they were- different, and then, they were gone. Sometimes younger ones would go, but it was uncommon. Still, she knew she did not have much time left. But she did not let it get to her. She wanted to enjoy her life here, being happy, and gay, and carefree.   
  
It was so nice there. Never a sad day, plenty of time to run and laugh in fields and meadows, or hide and giggle in the nearby forests. Kalaya loved the forests. There she had a pet doe she had found when she was five. It was but a fawn then, its mother had been lost. So she adopted the animal, naming it Nula, and spent hours playing in the trees with it. Her friends Eirya and Kalliey loved Nula too. They never worried for food either. Plenty of food could be found on the trees and elsewhere, they never went hungry. Of course, they did not eat meat. They wouldn't even think of killing or even injuring an animal. And they were no Elders to help them. No one more mature than the Older Ones, who were but seven and eight. They were alone. But they were happy. Yes, they were very happy indeed. No worries, no hurt, no sin. No sin. But one day, something happened that was so strange and terrifying that even years later Kalaya still could not understand. She was taken.  
  
It was a perfect day. Full of sunshine, and yet cool and refreshing from the rain just last night. Kalaya had been awake the whole night just listening to the soft patter of the rain and wondered where it came from. By now Kalaya was getting restless. I will go wake someone, she thought. She walked over to the sleeping Eirya. She should be awake by now, thought Kalaya. No sense in wasting the day sleeping. We need to go pick some food for Hunter. Hunter was a younger one, and Eirya and Kalaya, being older and more able, were in charge of helping him to grow. Each newchild was assigned and Older One to take care of them, getting them food, teaching them how to speak and write and walk, and being their guard to keep them from trouble. But Hunter was special. He could not walk, and his speech was difficult to understand. He was now a Five, but his words were still at the level of a Two or Three, which worried the Older Ones. So he had been given two Older Ones to give him care, Kalaya and Eirya. Eirya's eyes fluttered open and she yawned slightly, stretching her long arms. She smiled pleasantly.   
  
"Good morning. Did you sleep well last night, Kalaya?"   
  
"No. I stayed awake listening to the rain."  
  
"Well surely you are very tired! You must get some sleep."  
  
"No, we need to gather more food for Hunter." Replied Kalaya, glancing absent-mindedly at the sleeping Five.   
  
"Ah, yes. But don't you worry. I'll gather the food! You stay and get some sleep."  
  
"No! I'm going to help! I don't want to sleep!" Kalaya response startled Eirya, but she dismissed the matter and agreed to let Kalaya help. Eirya was an Eight, and Kalaya sometimes wondered if she would be taken first or Eirya. She shuddered at this thought; it was so unpleasant it sent chills up her spine. It was so frightening; no one had ever come back to tell them what happened.   
  
Suddenly Eirya stopped and gathered up two small baskets, handing one to Kalaya.   
  
"I think we should gather apples today. They are just getting ripe, and I do love the taste! You know Hunter enjoys them so much." Eirya suggested.  
  
"Yes, he does." Kalaya agreed. They continued on to a small tree near the edge of the woods and noticed that Nula and a few other deer had beaten them to the tree. There were still plenty of apples left, some for them, and for a handful of other Older Ones gathering food for their youngers. It was always best to start early, when the youngers were still asleep and before all the good food had been taken. But it was a rule to never take more than you would eat; it was rumored that those who did would be taken. Eirya's careful eyes spotted the best fruits, and Kalaya, being the taller one of the two, would reach up and pick them. After a few minutes of this, the two went looking for vegetables in the forest. When they had gathered enough for Hunter, they began to look for their own food for the day. By the time they were finished, it was nearly nine o'clock.   
  
"Hunter will be waking up soon;" said Kalaya. "We need to head back." Eirya peeped her head out from behind a tree.   
  
"Alright, I'm coming!" She walked into view and Kalaya found herself staring at the small basket. What wonderful food! 'I wonder if she would share,' thought Kalaya. 'She always finds the best food! Its not fair.'  
  
Soon they made their way back to the small grove of trees where Hunter was sleeping, and began to unpack their foods.   
  
"Wake up, Hunter." Ordered Kalaya gently. "Its time for breakfast."  
  
His green eyes opened obediently. Kalaya smiled. His eyes were so beautiful. They reminded her a green field, small blades of new grass, shifting in the breeze. He was so sweet too. He sat up slowly, and rubbed his eyes, his dark, curly brown hair falling just over the tips of his ears. Though he was a Five, he looked more like a Three. Kalaya loved being an Older One, being a mother to the youngest children was a never-ending joy. And though he was not her biological child, Hunter would always be her little baby.   
  
"Liya?" he asked, for he could not say her name correctly yet.  
  
"Yes Hunter?"  
  
"Brefest?"  
  
"Yes Hunter." He smiled.  
  
"I like brefest."  
  
Yes, I know you do Hunter. And look what I have today!"  
  
Hunter gasped. "Apples! I like apples!"  
  
She laughed. "Yes, Hunter. That's why we got them."  
  
"Tank you Reiya (he gave this name to Eirya). Tank you Liya."  
  
"You're very welcome, from both of us." Said Eirya. She grinned happily. Eirya loved being a mother too, but not nearly as much as Kalaya. Eirya continued to set out the apples for breakfast, and Kalaya did her duty in feeding him. Suddenly Eirya jumped up.  
  
"Oh no!" said Eirya.  
  
"What is it? I something wrong?" Kalaya said worriedly.   
  
"Well nothing terrible. I just forgot to get some carrots for lunch today. Kalaya, do you mind watching Hunter while I go pick some? I need to hurry before all the others get there."  
  
"Not at all. Go ahead, I'll watch him."  
  
"Thank you! Good-bye!" she said thankfully, picking up a basket. Then she turned quickly and ran off into the field towards the woods. And so Kalaya finished feeding Hunter, and waited to eat with Eirya...when she came back.  
  
So she waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
After nearly an hour, Kalaya stopped waiting for Eirya and began to eat by herself. But she didn't want to eat her food. She wanted what Eirya had- Oranges, peaches, and many other delicious foods. 'She won't mind if I just take a bite...' thought Kalaya. 'After all, she does owe me a favor for watching Hunter by myself. Why I even cleaned up the mess she had left here. Just one bite won't matter. Just one bite....' She reached for the most juicy, soft piece of fruit she could find, brought it close to her mouth and began to bite into it. She could imagine it already- sweet and tasty. 'Just one bite...' thought Kalaya, 'she won't miss it...' And then she bit into it, letting its juices flow into her mouth, making her forget all about Hunter and Eirya and the fact that she was stealing.... And she ate it. It was at that moment that it happened, that her whole world was turned upside down; that her life turned horribly different...she was taken.  
  
A/N-OK, I know this was kind of little kiddish, it will get better as it goes along, not so childish. Plus the chapters will be shorter. Anyway, review and tell me what you think, the review button it on the bottom left hand corner of this page, just in case you didn't know! Well I have to go for now, time to work on the next chapters! Bye! 


	2. Lucius

Author's Note-Ok, questions on the last chapter. One of the questions that was asked here was, "Is this Biblical times or futuristic?" Well, this is earth in modern times, but it a fantasy, so earth is...hmmm.... different...Kind of like Tolkein's work, but his was in the past, so anyway.... Also, a question someone asked me offline, "How can Eirya and Kalaya have been told to take care of Hunter when he's only two and three years younger than them? They would have only been two and three when he arrived!" My answer, I'm sorry to say, was not included in the last chapter. Eirya and Kalaya had received Hunter just a few months before the prologue, after his previous Older Ones had been taken. So, now that that's cleared up, if you have ANY other questions WHATSOEVER, feel free to send them in a review, or send me an e-mail. My e-mail address is in my bio. Oh, sorry this chapter's so short, the rest will be a little longer. Also, whenever I do this it is either a scene ending or character change-  
  
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Got it? Good. To the story!  
  
The White Rider  
  
Chapter One:  
Lucius  
  
What. That was all Kalaya could think of. What happened, what is this place, what am I doing here? She tried to stand, but her legs were too weak. She began to cry. She was still in The Land of the Innocents, but she couldn't see anyone at all. She was alone, in a field far, far from anyone else. But she was not alone, no, no. Not alone at all. Someone was watching, waiting, listening. Someone else was there.  
  
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A tall, dark man sat crouching by the trees, invisible to the untrained eye. Deep black hair framed his rugged face, and dark eyes glanced through the trees, looking for his next victim. He smiled. A girl, he thought. How delightful! With his wings he signaled his creatures to leave and go guard the field. Only his demons could see him; that and those awful little beasts that were always trying to foil his plan. Those angels couldn't stop him now, though. He had work to do, and no one was going to get in his way.  
  
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By now Kalaya was getting restless, and hungry. She tried again for the thousandth time to stand, but her legs were paralyzed. She had tried to shout before too, but she had no voice with which to speak. Suddenly a rustling came from some nearby bushes. She quickly turned her head just in time to see a large creature come out of the woods next to her. She sat next to her tree and tried as hard as she could not to move, so as not to startle the creature, she had never seen anything like it! It was like her and many of the other innocents, but it was so LARGE! All the innocents she had seen had been about her size, maybe a few inches taller. But this- thing, or whatever you would call it, was about three times the size of Kalaya, and its appearance was so...terrifying. She had never been so frightened in her life. He began to walk toward her, but she couldn't move, her body was frozen in fear. He reached down, and very gently, very delicately, laid a large, strong hand on her legs. She felt a chill in her body, what was he going to do?! Then he spoke. His voice was like a roll of thunder, but as soft and sweet as honey; what was this thing? Just one word escaped his lips.  
  
"Stand." And she did. She did it without thinking; then she realized that she could now walk, but she did not want to leave, she wanted to stay. Then his arm moved towards her throat, again, a single touch made her shiver in fear. She knew what he was doing now. He was healing her! But why? Why would he help her if he didn't even know her? How did he know she was in this place, where had he come from? How had he known of her injuries? She could think of nothing to say, but she must have thanked him because he suddenly said, "You're very welcome." This made no sense, why was she here?!  
  
"You have been taken." He responded.  
  
"He knows my thoughts!" She said quietly. He laughed kindly.  
  
"Yes, I know all thoughts, I know everything." Her head crinkled in question.  
  
"You mean, you took me? Why? Why am I here? And who are you?" He chuckled.  
  
"Always full of questions, little ones. I am Lord Lucius, and you are Kalaya. I have taken you because I care for you. You had done something to your friend Eirya that you enjoyed very much, didn't you?"  
  
"Yes, but, how..."  
  
" Every time someone does something they truly enjoy more than anything they have done before, they come with me."  
  
"Why? Why can't I stay here? I want to stay here, I don't want to go with you!" Lucius looked angry.  
  
"And why would you stay? To be exiled from the land? To be forgotten by your friends? They would not let you back, you know that. What you did was wrong to them, but with me, I would never stop you, no one would ever stop you, you could do anything you want!"  
  
Kalaya paused for a moment to think. "Anything? You mean, I could take things and...they...they wouldn't care?"  
  
His chilling smile was strangely familiar. "Yes." He leaned in closer, "I promise. You see Kalaya, these people, they don't care about you! They are going to leave you behind. By tomorrow, they won't even remember your name. I promise, if you come with me, you will never want for anything again. So, what will it be? Will you stay here and be hated and shunned, or will you come with me?" She paused. Was this man really going to help her? She knew what he said was true, the innocents would forget her almost immediately... she would be replaced and overlooked. But would this thing, or whatever he was really care for her, and love her, and let her live however she wanted. She wanted so much to believe him, but there again was that little voice nagging at her brain, telling her this was not what it seemed. She had covered it up earlier, it had told her not to take the fruit, but she had ignored it. It got her here, didn't it?  
  
Her voice was shaky, though she tried so hard to sound confident. "I'm coming with you."  
  
He smiled. Then he grabbed her hand, and all she could feel was coldness. Pure, icy chills filled her body, and she must have shivered for he looked at her and laughed.  
  
"You'd best get used to it, child." She wondered what he could mean by that, but before she could ask, she was gone; gone from memory, gone from innocence, and forever bound to the consequences of her decisions.  
  
A/N- Hahahahahahahaha! Left you wondering what was happening, didn't I? HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Well anyway, sorry it took forever to update, I've not been on in forever. Please oh please review if you read this!!! Its only fair!!!! Oh, and the next chapter is the one that is offensive to Wiccans, sorry, and it will also contain some mature themes, so I'm changing the rating to PG-13. Well got to go, bye!!!!! 


	3. Changing of Times

A/N- Hey, how's it going? I realize I haven't updated in FOREVER, but I'm gonna try and do it a little more often now. Also, to those of you who read my stuff on fictionpress.net, my name has changed (as well as on fanfiction.net) to J.L. Tinsley. I'm going to try and finish this story and 'Goddesses' before I start up on 'Elenyaiy' again. Anyway, earlier I said this might be considered offensive to Wiccans, but I have changed the name to simply 'witches' now, since that word can have many meanings. Oh, and the rating is now back to PG. Enjoy!  
  
The White Rider-  
Chapter Three: Changing of Times  
  
Everything was different now. Everything gone. Everyone had changed so much. Even Eirya had changed. Now she was dark and hateful. The Land of Innocents seemed all but a dream, far, far away.  
When she had first arrived with Lord Lucius she had cried out that he have mercy, she wished to be with her people, her kind. These strange beasts looked much like Lord Lucius, though slightly smaller. They were all dark haired with deep, conniving eyes and a foul heart ruined through years of corruption. They had no emotion left; their soul was but an empty black space. Kalaya begged his pity to leave here, for she did not belong with these creatures. He had simply smiled his chilling smile and said, "You will."  
Suddenly that inviting kindness she had felt when they first met had disappeared and she was left there, standing, with no one to help her. He left her then, and she dared not follow. So she began to search for a way out. She met some of the Older ones she had known from long ago, who had been taken just as she. They were so different, their sweet smiles and warm greetings were now but a thing of the past. What could have ever changed anyone so much, she asked one, who seemed much kinder than the rest. They had smiled and chuckled a bit before growing solemn and pensive once more.  
"Him."  
That single word was all that she needed to hear, and over time it seemed that that one word grew ever wiser and more deep. She, too, felt the changing in her heart, surrounded by evil, wanting to try what they were doing, disobeying what she was told. She felt dirty and bad, but she couldn't stop; he wouldn't let her. She loved him so much, for while she hated this place with every fiber of her being, she was still so passionate and immersed in its commodities that she could never leave, even if she had wanted too. She loved him every day, more and more, for saving her from 'the bad place', as it was known by there.  
Since that day, each moment grew worse for Kalaya. She finally grew into something she loved to do-she was a thief. And to you, dear child, it seems that such a living would not be what you might consider 'fun', but to her mind, it was perfect. She could have all things, everything she ever wanted, for not a single penny. Eirya too, changed, though more dreadfully (at least to Kalaya) than she. She was a devil worshipper, a witch. And she hated Eirya all the more for it, for they were Lord Lucius' favorites. They would do anything he might command without a single question, and for it, they received the special seats of power; promises of eternal authority in the after-life, when he would finally be restored to his former glory.  
Kalaya did not attend to such empty promises, however. She was a woman of words, highly educated and not willing to adhere to a theory until she had solid proof of its accuracy. But that was before it had all begun to be different- strange disappearances, mysterious tales of a 'white rider' who came to save them from their bondage. Before she had left. Before he had come.  
  
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She made her way through the small cobblestone streets with a scowl on her face. What horrid weather! Thick gray clouds seemed to hang but a few inches from her thinly veiled face, threatening rain at any given moment. Strong winds pushed with a mighty hand against her body, willing her return to the warmth of her home. The mud huts in this part of town were far cries from the comfort of her own home she had grown so accustomed too. She sighed. Another meeting with Mandrid. ANOTHER! In the last three weeks, she had already been summoned to at least ten meetings. Mandrid was Lord Lucius' personal advisor, and for some reason, he claimed he had reason to doubt her sincerity to Lucius, that she was "insecure" in her loyalty. Nothing could be further to the truth. She loved him; he was her very breath, her lifeline, the thing that kept her going every day. Anything she had ever wanted, he had given her. Except.......no! She shouldn't think about it! Who knows what spies might be lurking in the shadows of the streets, prowling the minds of innocent people? Her lord was known to do such things; he sent out whole troops of strange shadow creatures to read the thoughts of anyone they might encounter, in order to insure the kingdom subjects' fidelity and satisfaction. But once they found someone questioning their lord's ways, they would hound them and harass them till they could take it no more and give into their demons. It was necessary, Kalaya thought. It keeps the whole kingdom in check and in service to their king. But still...why her? She had been nothing but loyal to him, and yet he said he had heard several reports of her cursing the name of Lucius and following another religion of sorts. Again, he could not have been more wrong. Then it hit her. Coming round a nearby corner she saw the last people she had wished to see; five women, all in black, with their eyes locked in a withering gaze, hair as raven as the night, and a small black colored tattoo of sorts borne on their right hand, saw her, and with near synchronicity they turned to walk her way. She shuddered, and with good reason-the witches were back. The witches were her worst enemies. They were back-stabbing, conniving little imbeciles whose whole life goal was to please Lucius. Shallow little fools. Kalaya, too, wished to please him, but in their arrogance they were willing to hurt anything or anyone necessary to make him happy. At least she had morals. At least she had control. The tallest and most fearsome looking of the company stepped forward with bold and rather audacious determination. "Well, well; it is Kalaya again. On your way to see Mandrid? I should hope so. We have heard so many rumors of your cursing to the Lord... it is quite scary really." Kalaya's brazen expression made some of the women shift in discomfort but the leader of the pack stood her ground in a silent battle. "And how might you have heard these rumors, Sheena; save that you had them started yourself...or with the help of your assistants?" Kalaya's impertinent tone of voice surprised even herself. Sheena growled and held a low scowl on her face, though she began to feel a bit as if she had crawled out on a broken limb with no one there to support her. She was a foolish girl, and more immature than Kalaya, though she was ten years older. "Perhaps we did...perhaps we did not..." she paused with a cruel grimace painted on her face. "That is for you to find out." She turned sharply on her heel, and commenced to parade down the street with her company, all the while holding back a rather menacing cackle in her throat till she was out of hearing range. Then it dawned on Kalaya... the reason she had been called to Mandrid was not simply from rumors, but indeed they had ratted her into a crime she had not committed! Treason against the king was highly looked down upon; sometimes, in the more severe cases, Lucius would set the person free, bearing a mark on their forehead in the shape of a cross. Anyone who found them could have their way with them, or simply turn them over to the king, in which case they would be executed. Of course, some escaped any harm at all, but Lucius was always with them, the little voice ringing in their ears, motivating them in their decisions. But...at least so she heard... something was different in them; those who escaped, that is. Something inside made them think differently than they used to, and they were said to be more happy than any of the most successful people here in this land. Could there be another place, Kalaya wondered? Could she be taken again, to a better place than this? Was there another Land of Innocents? It was of no avail to wonder at such things, for she knew that once one came to here, it was here that one stayed. Lucius was sure of that. As a form of security, everyone in the city was made to wear a special mark, on either their hand or their forehead, one of the mark of the beast, in the form of '666'. Anyone with this mark could live, buy, and trade inside the city. Those who were discovered without the mark, intruders of sorts, would be sentenced to death. She passed through the gallows of the city, located right in front of the castle gate, and was drawn aback by the horrid stench. Four days ago, two such men and one woman were discovered in the city. They were hung, in front of the whole city, to show what happened to those who tried to escape. But what was so strange about the hanging was the last thing they had said; the woman first stated, " Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are with me.", at which point the men joined her. "Your rod and you staff, they comfort me..." She thought this such a strange thing to say- they enjoyed being beaten?! These people were very strange indeed. "...Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever." It was at that moment that the plank dropped, and she watched satisfactorily as their lives slowly slipped from their eyes, until finally, they were dead. Today they were being taken down; it was a chilling sight indeed. Birds had been feasting on their rotting flesh while young pranksters had thrown such things as rotted vegetables and sour milk, adding to the ghastly smell. She held her vale close to her nostrils as she made her way to the front of the tower and showed her mark to the keeper at the gates. Metal chains began to squeak and squeal until finally the portal was opened. She walked tensely as she passed through hallway and shadow before coming upon the rotted wooden door behind which Mandrid made his chamber. Mandrid was a sorcerer, and each week one could tell how he was feeling by the condition of his door and room; if he was feeling up, it would appear neat and clean, if he was feeling rather sour, it was discovered that moss and spiders inhabited its nooks and crannies. She knocked carefully and the thunders outside echoed like an answer to her plead. An old, country sounding voice called out. "Mandrid's not here right now; he'll be back later." She was befuddled. "I'm sorry milord, but he told me he would be here at half-past nine...where else could he be? When will he be back?" The old man sighed and the door opened to reveal a hideously dirty shrimp of a man with old gray hair now thickly covered in filthy black soot. "Yer questions are a fallin' on deaf ears, milady. I'm just a chimney sweeper; not a bookkeeper. He might be back by tonight." She sighed. "Alright then. When he returns, shall you tell him I was here? The name's Kalaya Sandrill." "Yeah, yeah." Said the old man, and turned back into the room, closing the door with a sudden thud. Making her way back to her house was not easy. The rain had already begun to fall on the already soaked ground and formed small muddy puddles on the cobblestone street. Dabs of silt began claming the hem of her finely detailed cloak as she passed through the markets and alleys of the city. By now, most tradesmen and merchants had closed up their shops and brought their goods into shelter, though a few still scurried in the streets frantically trying to save what was still valuable. Rot was a terrible issue here. Most of the year was spent in rain, and anything left outside for a few days was either stolen or rotted beyond the point of further use. She climbed clumsily up the front steps to her house and shed her coat onto an old table in the front. It was a beautiful house, though it had some flaws. When she found the kitchen, she realized the roof was leaking again, and she retrieved an old clay pot to catch any further drops. "Eleay?" she called. Her housemate, a tall, thin girl stepped from the shadows. She was not much older than Kalaya, perhaps a year at most. Her deep blackish-brown hair framed an elegant tan face and two beautiful nutmeg colored eyes. "Yes?" "What happened to the roof? I thought you had it fixed." "I did. The man said it might leak a little at first but in a few days it should get better." "Oh. Okay then." Kalaya smiled. She knew she could trust Eleay. As a housemate and a friend Eleay had never defied her privacy or her friendship. In the kingdom, to save space and to keep from overcrowding streets, each person lived with one other person, know as a housemate. It was a wonderful system. While one could work in the day to raise money, the other could stay at home and rest or take care of household chores and work at night when the first person returned. Kalaya usually worked as a thief all day around, coming back to the home to drop off her load when it became too much to carry. Mostly she stole money or other small valuables, but occasionally she took food and such as well. Eleay simply stayed at home and upon finding an occasional job as a maid or nurse, she would work until the person either died or could no longer afford to pay them. It worked beautifully; the two had never lacked for money or fellowship since the day they had met. "Oh, Kalaya?" "Yes?" "Matthew wrote you a letter today." "Really? Where is it?" "I placed it on the table...don't worry I didn't read it." Eleay chuckled. "Oh ha-ha." She said sarcastically. "Very humorous." Matthew was Kalaya's best male friend. The two of them often spent long hours together simply talking and chatting together. But recently Matthew had seemed...troubled, disoriented. She often worried about him and wondered what was happening in his life, but he simply said, "Not right now". She picked up the letter and first noticed that his handwriting was rather shaky and it seemed as if he had been nervous when he wrote, for several words were misspelled. It was very short for his letters. It read:  
  
I alwyas told you 'not now', but now it is time. I msut go but I will be bak soon. I love yu so much and I am sorry I had to leave you lik this. Your frind, Mathew stalls  
  
What had happened? Where was he? She flew into a panic and ran to his house down the street. Hid housemate, Judas, said he was not there and hadn't been all day. Hearing these words felt like a dagger to her heart. He really had left, and he wasn't coming back. When one ran away, the mark of the beast would disappear, and if he were ever to return, he might be taken prisoner...or worse. She fell to the ground and wept. She wept for Matthew, she wept for the kingdom, and she wept for Lucius, for she knew he would never take him back. 


End file.
